Between The Lines
by reeyachan
Summary: "I'm taking the Hunter exam." The moment those words came out as soft and resolved in his voice from his throat, it felt as though I was stabbed deep in the gut, as if a strong hand had slapped me in the face. Pain; it was an absolute heartbreak. -LeorioxOC, oneshot.


A/N: See, after watching HxH: Phantom Rouge movie at the mall last month, my friend told me, "I think they should do another one," pertaining to the movie. Then he added; "It should be _about Leorio_ this time." And I couldn't agree more. I had this going around in my head for a while, so, here I am now giving him a love life Lol This is a _serious_ LeorioxOC romance-ish story, and wooooow, I had fun writing. It's been a while. Hihi.

NOTE: OC-centric.

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**BETWEEN THE LINES**

"_I'm taking the Hunter exam."_

I still remember it distinctly.

The moment those words came out as soft and resolved in his voice from his throat, it felt as though I was stabbed deep in the gut, as if a strong hand had slapped me in the face. I wanted to feel completely happy for him, certainly, since this was his plan long ago–even before we were twelve, even before Pietoro died. But, though I can show him my smiles, it couldn't erase what I was feeling in my chest.

Pain; it was an absolute heartbreak.

"_What?"_

At first it did not register as fast. I heard him, yes, clear as day, but the sound seemed to remain stuck in my eardrums–playing continuously like a broken record. I knew–that the morning when he came over to my house, when he seated himself on a stool in the kitchen, looking around and telling me not to turn away from washing the dishes–there was something important he needed to say, something bold and daring, something his subconscious wanted my opinion of. And I was preparing myself for the grand announcement, even pestering him about it every now and then. However, at that time my emotions were overwhelmed, and preparation was in vain.

"_I'm taking the Hunter exam."_

When he repeated the words, my mind wandered back to myself, and I became aware of the clattering noises of fake china porcelain in my wet hands. I realized that I was trembling when I heard him ask if I was okay, thus I ceased my nerves immediately. It took me several deep breaths before I could reply with enthusiasm. I responded with pure optimism, smiling when I turned around to look at him, congratulating him, teasing him. He probably needed an excited support for his planned endeavour, right? That's why it got me wondering why his face was forlorn when his gaze fell directly in my eyes.

Was he waiting for me to ask him to stay?

Part me of me had hoped the answer to my own ridiculous question was of the affirmative, but I could never bring myself to think of something that didn't even exist in the first place. I could never bring myself to anticipate something, assume something that was never there. And it was possible that only the surprised sentiment in me was what got me reading between the invisible lines of his pensive, soft gaze–his gaze that I returned with confusion written all over my smiling face. At that moment, we read each other's eyes for a span of minutes I couldn't comprehend how long, before he stood up and said nothing but an invitation to have a drink as a celebratory event that night, prior to heading for the door and leaving my house. I was left dragging my weak body towards my room, confused, ponderous, and with unfinished dishes, staying there to contemplate my thoughts, to learn accepting reality, and to think about how I should deal with my own self with everything about him, until the night came.

And I ended up asking myself one question: should I tell him or not?

But a follow up question shows up afterwards: tell him what?

A sigh was all the answer I could give, and a wish that I never should have let myself have this kind of thing for him.

Leorio and I–we go way back. He and I, and with all of our common friends, we grew up together, we played together, and though I was the only female in the group, I never hesitated in sharing secrets and sentiments towards them–towards _him_, particularly. We were good friends, and still are. And I was pronounced a tomboy, and even scolded by my mother because of it, because I get along with them like I was a member of their gent race. That is why I couldn't comprehend what had developed through the years, and began asking myself 'why'. The answer wouldn't appear in front of my face though, it wouldn't appear anywhere.

I couldn't even tell when this ridiculousness started. It just crawled against my skin towards my chest the moment I started noticing his kindness, the way my nerves acted when he was around, how my heart would beat fast, how I enjoyed his company more than anything else. In the beginning I was somehow reluctant of accepting these new reflexes into my life. I wanted to curse the heavens back then, and thought it was improper to feel that way towards him, because he was someone almost like a sibling to me, but eventually I got accustomed to everything–and I took it in. For two years I took it in, but until now I still couldn't conclude.

I sighed, ruffling my forelocks in frustration and taking another gulp from the bottle of beer in my right hand. Another thing that was getting me confused was that it appears I am the only one he invited in his 'celebratory event', since not a person my age I knew was inside the bar.

"_I'm taking the Hunter exam."_

A groan escaped my throat as I buried my face in my arms. _Why tell me now, idiot, when the exam's four days from now?_

"Wow. What, drunk already?"

My chest gave me a heavy thump as a signal. It was him. I looked up, watching him approach my table. "You're late, mister. Got cold feet or something?"

He seated himself opposite me with a big goofy grin on his face. "Easy, Maximillion! You make it sound like I'm about to get married!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air for emphasis. "I'll be taking the H–"

"I know." _Idiot._ "And my name's _Max_, mister. Don't add anything."

"And my name's _Leorio_, miss. What's up with you!? I was just kidding!"

I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes and turn my gaze at him, watching him receive his bottle of beer he ordered from the waiter. Something bothers him. I can tell from the moment he approached me. His sense of humor, the tone of his voice in a situation like this–him celebrating for finally deciding to take the Hunter exam, that is–I perfectly read him. A smirk escaped my lips. "You're scared, aren't ya?"

Him closing his eyes to concentrate on swallowing the alcohol was answer enough. He leaned forward with a sheepish smile on his face. "I think we should celebrate outside. It's kinda noisy in here, don't you think?"

My eyebrows voluntarily furrowed and the question of "Why?" was all I could say. But it seemed like the answer wouldn't come as soon as I wanted it to.

Leorio already turned towards the counter, shouting, asking the waiters if we could take the bottles outside and if we could take three more. If it weren't for our pack being always here, the owner would never agree, but he did, telling us to return the bottles as soon as we get back.

In all honestly, I thought by _outside_ he meant the parking lot in front of the bar, or the porch. I never thought we would be walking _from_ the bar. I knew something was bothering him. He's been silent for about ten minutes. And Leorio was never silent. "Having second thoughts?" I started, kicking a rock with every step.

I felt him shrug and heard him smile. "Let's go visit a friend."

I looked at him, only to find that he was looking at me as well with a soft smile on his face. My heart dropped a loud beat from pure awe as I knew what he meant. I nodded once and smiled back.

The harmonious sound of the waves clashing against rocks and the sound of the cold December breeze was all I let my ears hear at that time, as Leorio and I stood at the top of a hill, before Pietoro's grave. We stood there for minutes, taking the atmosphere in and praying for our departed friend. Pietoro's death was a hard blow on all of us. He was a very good man, the nicest of the group, to be honest; witty, but not as witty as Leorio. He was always loved by many elders as he would always lend a hand in whichever way he can. He was everyone's friend, but he was closest to Leorio, and Leorio was closest to him. They were best pals, partners in crime, and partners in justice. They were inseparable. Wherever Leorio was, Pietoro's there, and vice versa. This was the reason why Leorio's resolve was as strong as it ever was. I am sure he was talking to him in spirit tonight. A smile once again escaped my lips, letting my gaze fall towards the dark indigo horizon, noticing the starless sky and the clouds that surrounded the full moon.

"Hey, Max…"

A heavy thump once again was emitted by my chest. "Hmm?" I responded, not averting my gaze from the ocean.

"Let's stay here for a while." Leorio's voice was serene and calm at that moment. It sounded a twisted mix of melancholy, acceptance, and content. Not an ounce of disturbance can be heard from his tone, not like earlier inside the bar.

Here I turned my gaze at him. He had his eyes carefully locked towards Pietoro's grave as he placed one bottle of beer before his gravestone. His countenance gave a look that matched his voice, adding the word _determined_ in it. I agreed, and we sat on the grass, overlooking the ocean, the horizon, and the sky from our view. I leaned my back on Pietoro's gravestone and took a sip from my bottle of beer, thinking of someone leaving again.

Leorio did the same. "I'm leaving for port tomorrow," he started casually.

My chest swelled. I swallowed and cleared my throat. "No cold feet?"

He winced; "Of course," and took another sip from his bottle.

I chose to smile, but it was weak. I needed to look at him. Looks can't lie. "No second thoughts?" A prick in the chest was all I felt when I saw his solitude.

He turned his head and locked eyes with me. The look he gave was very similar to what he had this morning, when he told me he'd be taking the Hunter exam this year, when he gave me that grim, lonely, _longing_ stare he was giving me now.

My smile finally dropped, and my heart was racing. I wanted to ask him why but something was blocking my throat. I gulped, but he went ahead of me.

"What do you think?" he asked, almost whispering.

I couldn't help whispering back. "About what?"

He leaned closer, and for some reason I didn't lean away. "About this whole Hunter thing."

A gulp was again necessary. I wanted to slap his face and scream in his ear not to go if he's not sure at the moment, but another entity seemed to be preventing movement of my joints, and "What?" was all I could ask in response.

He seemed hesitant. "Do you… want me to go?"

It was another slap in the face, and a slash in the chest. I wanted to answer no, but I wanted to answer yes as well. My lips parted, ready to answer something I had no idea what, but it never released any sound.

Leorio smiled at that, and his smile grew into scattered chuckles as he leaned back to his seat, taking a sip from his bottle of beer. "Oh man, you're going to miss me, I'm sure. The look in your face says it all."

Hot blood came rushing through my face and I automatically punched his arm with all my weak strength. "You're the worst! I will never miss you, you idiot!" That was the most humiliating thing that happened between us in all my life, and the confusion built up another level in my chest. It was getting worse.

He laughed at the sky in triumph, raising his bottle in the air. "Admit it, Maximus. I am the bravest person in this land right now; taking the Hunter exam at the age of nineteen. If I became rich I am going to take you to a nice fancy restaurant–"

"Where you pay, of course, don't forget that."

"–and there tell you all my plans for the future for us!"

A slight confusion once again infiltrated my mind when I heard him say the word _us_, but a sneer was all I could give. "Yeah, I already know the story anyway."

He calmed down and sighed, turning to face Pietoro's grave again. "Max, what do you think?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "About what?"

"About the whole Hunter thing."

I knew I was in perfect rationale at that time. I could answer him properly. A smirk escaped my lips. I knew he wanted to ask me this since early in the morning. He knew the answer; he just wanted someone to repeat it for him. "It's for Pietoro, right, doctor?"

Finally a pure determined smile was visible on his face. "Yeah." He stared at Pietoro's gravestone for a while, nodding his head slowly and firmly, pursing his lips, and looking as resolute as he ever was. He took his bottle and clashed it slightly against the cement stone. "Cheers, my friend, this is for you."

My grin was wide. I did the same and looked at him, raising my bottle in the air. "To Pietoro, Leorioero."

He smiled back, clanking his bottle against mine. "To Pietoro, Maxene."

I winced before swallowing the alcohol inside the bottle empty. It was the first time I heard him call me by my full name in a long time.

At that moment, I knew that finally, I was completely happy for him. There was still this pricking thing inside my chest, but it was only of the pain of letting someone very close to you go. Now I may or may not be in love with him, but I knew that keeping everything the way it is was the right thing to do. And though I would probably have to pray for his safety every single day and night, it was better this way.

"I promise I'll come back."

Yes, it was better this way.

But I had to remind him of something. "Oh, by the way, Leorio."

"What?"

"Don't get yourself killed."

After a moment of pause, he gave off the shakiest and most nervous loud laugh I have ever heard him emit in his life.

**FIN.  
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_DISCLAIMER: The details about Pietoro and Leorio's childhood were based on my own interpretation._

_It would so awesome of you if you could review. Please review? Please review! Review! *smiley* :D_


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